Neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog (N-RAS) deficiency aggravates liver injury and fibrosis

Homeostasis; PathogenesisHomeostasis; PatogénesisHomeòstasi; PatogènesiProgressive hepatic damage and fibrosis are major features of chronic liver diseases of different etiology, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully defined. N-RAS, a member of the RAS family of small guanine nucleotide-binding proteins also encompassing the highly homologous H-RAS and K-RAS isoforms, was previously reported to modulate cell death and renal fibrosis; however, its role in liver damage and fibrogenesis remains unknown. Here, we approached this question by using N-RAS deficient (N-RAS−/−) mice and two experimental models of liver injury and fibrosis, namely carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intoxication and bile duct ligation (BDL). In wild-type (N-RAS+/+) mice both hepatotoxic procedures augmented N-RAS expression in the liver. Compared to N-RAS+/+ counterparts, N-RAS−/− mice subjected to either CCl4 or BDL showed exacerbated liver injury and fibrosis, which was associated with enhanced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and leukocyte infiltration in the damaged liver. At the molecular level, after CCl4 or BDL, N-RAS−/− livers exhibited augmented expression of necroptotic death markers along with JNK1/2 hyperactivation. In line with this, N-RAS ablation in a human hepatocytic cell line resulted in enhanced activation of JNK and necroptosis mediators in response to cell death stimuli. Of note, loss of hepatic N-RAS expression was characteristic of chronic liver disease patients with fibrosis. Collectively, our study unveils a novel role for N-RAS as a negative controller of the progression of liver injury and fibrogenesis, by critically downregulating signaling pathways leading to hepatocyte necroptosis. Furthermore, it suggests that N-RAS may be of potential clinical value as prognostic biomarker of progressive fibrotic liver damage, or as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of chronic liver disease.This work was supported by the MICINN Retos RTI2018-095673-B-I00, PID2020-11782RB-I00, PID2020-117941RB-I00, all of which were co-funded with FEDER funds, AMMF 2018/117, COST Action CA17112 and Comunidad de Madrid S2022/BMD-7409. This project has received funding from the European Horizon’s research and innovation program HORIZON-HLTH-2022-STAYHLTH-02 under agreement No. 101095679. The research group belongs to the validated Research Groups Ref. 970935 Liver Pathophysiology, 920631 Lymphocyte Immunobiology and IBL-6 (imas12-associated). KZ was supported by the China Scholarship Council. SM-G was supported by a predoctoral scholarship from Complutense University

Extremely thin perfect absorber by generalized multipole bianisotropic effect

Symmetry breaking plays a crucial role in understanding the fundamental physics underlying numerous physical phenomena, including the electromagnetic response in resonators, giving rise to intriguing effects such as directional light scattering, supercavity lasing, and topologically protected states. In this work, we demonstrate that adding a small fraction of lossy metal (as low as $1\times10^{-6}$ in volume), to a lossless dielectric resonator breaks inversion symmetry thereby lifting its degeneracy, leading to a strong bianisotropic response. In the case of the metasurface composed of such resonators, this effect leads to unidirectional perfect absorption while maintaining nearly perfect reflection from the opposite direction. We have developed more general Onsager-Casimir relations for the polarizabilities of particle arrays, taking into account the contributions of quadrupoles, which shows that bianisotropy is not solely due to dipoles, but also involves high-order multipoles. Our experimental validation demonstrates an extremely thin terahertz-perfect absorber with a wavelength-to-thickness ratio of up to 25,000, where the material thickness is only 2% of the theoretical minimum thickness dictated by the fundamental limit. Our findings have significant implications for a variety of applications, including energy harvesting, thermal management, single-photon detection, and low-power directional emission

Jianpi Bushen, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy, Combined with Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer Treatment: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective. To investigate the effects of Jianpi Bushen (JPBS), a traditional Chinese medicine that is used to invigorate the spleen and tonify the kidney, combined with chemotherapy for the treatment of gastric cancer. Methods. Literature retrieval was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, CNKI, Wanfang Data Information Site, and VIP from inception to October 2017. Randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effects of JPBS combined with chemotherapy were identified. The primary reported outcomes were KPS (Karnofsky Performance Status), clinical curative efficiency, immune function, blood system, and nonhematologic system. Review Manager 5.3 (RevMan 5.3) was used for data analysis, and the quality of the studies was also appraised. Results. A total of 26 studies were included with 3098 individuals. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that treatment of gastric cancer with the combination of JPBS and chemotherapy resulted in better outcomes compared to chemotherapy alone. Conclusion. Evidence from the meta-analysis suggested that JPBS combined with chemotherapy has a positive effect on gastric cancer treatment. However, additional rigorously designed and large sample randomized controlled trials are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of this treatment

Intestinal Epithelial Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Modulate Hepatic Injury via the Gut-Liver Axis During Acute Alcohol Injury.

Binge drinking, i.e., heavy episodic drinking in a short time, has recently become an alarming societal problem with negative health impact. However, the harmful effects of acute alcohol injury in the gut-liver axis remain elusive. Hence, we focused on the physiological and pathological changes and the underlying mechanisms of experimental binge drinking in the context of the gut-liver axis. Eight-week-old mice with a C57BL/6 background received a single dose (p.o.) of ethanol (EtOH) [6 g/kg b.w.] as a preclinical model of acute alcohol injury. Controls received a single dose of PBS. Mice were sacrificed 8 h later. In parallel, HepaRGs and Caco-2 cells, human cell lines of differentiated hepatocytes and intestinal epithelial cells intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), respectively, were challenged in the presence or absence of EtOH [0-100 mM]. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated by ultracentrifugation from culture media of IECs were added to hepatocyte cell cultures. Increased intestinal permeability, loss of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and MUCIN-2 expression, and alterations in microbiota-increased Lactobacillus and decreased Lachnospiraceae species-were found in the large intestine of mice exposed to EtOH. Increased TUNEL-positive cells, infiltration of CD11b-positive immune cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., tlr4, tnf, il1β), and markers of lipid accumulation (Oil Red O, srbep1) were evident in livers of mice exposed to EtOH, particularly in females. In vitro experiments indicated that EVs released by IECs in response to ethanol exerted a deleterious effect on hepatocyte viability and lipid accumulation. Overall, our data identified a novel mechanism responsible for driving hepatic injury in the gut-liver axis, opening novel avenues for therapy.This work was supported by the MINECO Retos SAF2016-78711, SAF2017-87919-R, EXOHEP-CM S2017/BMD-3727, NanoLiver-CM Y2018/NMT-4949, ERAB Ref. EA 18/14, AMMF 2018/117, UCM-25-2019 and COST Action CA17112, the German Research Foundation (SFB/TRR57/P04, SFB 1382-403224013/A02, and DFG NE 2128/2-1). FC and YN are Ramón y Cajal Researchers RYC-2014-15242 and RYC-2015-17438. FC is a Gilead Liver Research 2018. KZ is a recipient of a Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC). BK20170127 from the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province to JP.S

Molecular and biochemical investigations of the anti-fatigue effects of tea polyphenols and fruit extracts of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. on mice with exercise-induced fatigue

Background: The molecular mechanisms regulating the therapeutic effects of plant-based ingredients on the exercise-induced fatigue (EIF) remain unclear. The therapeutic effects of both tea polyphenols (TP) and fruit extracts of Lycium ruthenicum (LR) on mouse model of EIF were investigated.Methods: The variations in the fatigue-related biochemical factors, i.e., lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), in mouse models of EIF treated with TP and LR were determined. The microRNAs involved in the therapeutic effects of TP and LR on the treatment of mice with EIF were identified using the next-generation sequencing technology.Results: Our results revealed that both TP and LR showed evident anti-inflammatory effect and reduced oxidative stress. In comparison with the control groups, the contents of LDH, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-2 were significantly decreased and the contents of SOD were significantly increased in the experimental groups treated with either TP or LR. A total of 23 microRNAs (21 upregulated and 2 downregulated) identified for the first time by the high-throughput RNA sequencing were involved in the molecular response to EIF in mice treated with TP and LR. The regulatory functions of these microRNAs in the pathogenesis of EIF in mice were further explored based on Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses with a total of over 20,000–30,000 target genes annotated and 44 metabolic pathways enriched in the experimental groups based on GO and KEGG databases, respectively.Conclusion: Our study revealed the therapeutic effects of TP and LR and identified the microRNAs involved in the molecular mechanisms regulating the EIF in mice, providing strong experimental evidence to support further agricultural development of LR as well as the investigations and applications of TP and LR in the treatment of EIF in humans, including the professional athletes

Neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog (N-RAS) deficiency aggravates liver injury and fibrosis.

Progressive hepatic damage and fibrosis are major features of chronic liver diseases of different etiology, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully defined. N-RAS, a member of the RAS family of small guanine nucleotide-binding proteins also encompassing the highly homologous H-RAS and K-RAS isoforms, was previously reported to modulate cell death and renal fibrosis; however, its role in liver damage and fibrogenesis remains unknown. Here, we approached this question by using N-RAS deficient (N-RAS-/-) mice and two experimental models of liver injury and fibrosis, namely carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intoxication and bile duct ligation (BDL). In wild-type (N-RAS+/+) mice both hepatotoxic procedures augmented N-RAS expression in the liver. Compared to N-RAS+/+ counterparts, N-RAS-/- mice subjected to either CCl4 or BDL showed exacerbated liver injury and fibrosis, which was associated with enhanced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and leukocyte infiltration in the damaged liver. At the molecular level, after CCl4 or BDL, N-RAS-/- livers exhibited augmented expression of necroptotic death markers along with JNK1/2 hyperactivation. In line with this, N-RAS ablation in a human hepatocytic cell line resulted in enhanced activation of JNK and necroptosis mediators in response to cell death stimuli. Of note, loss of hepatic N-RAS expression was characteristic of chronic liver disease patients with fibrosis. Collectively, our study unveils a novel role for N-RAS as a negative controller of the progression of liver injury and fibrogenesis, by critically downregulating signaling pathways leading to hepatocyte necroptosis. Furthermore, it suggests that N-RAS may be of potential clinical value as prognostic biomarker of progressive fibrotic liver damage, or as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of chronic liver disease

Library Green Transformation from the Prospect of Public Libraries' High-Quality Development

[Purpose/Significance] Based on the research of library transformation from the mode of "high-speed growth" to "high-quality development", this paper addressed the green development as one of the key routes for the transformation of public libraries and provides a multifaceted definition of green development and sustainability from home and abroad as applied to public libraries. [Method/Process] By investigating the transformation and development of domestic libraries in recent years and drawing on the experience from a range of international projects, this paper found out how dedication to be sustainable and green action has become more central and widespread in the library sector worldwide. Successful examples were drawn from IFLA Green Library Award as well as other innovative programs, services, buildings and projects based on increasing consciousness around the green development. This paper integrated an overview of various efforts to define the green library and arguements for sustainable libraries. At the same time, some typical examples of libraries' environmental awareness and sustainability have been presented. [Results/Conclusions] This paper puts foreword the key areas to implement the concept of green development in libraries, including library buildings, facilities and equipment, collections, information services, operational management as well as library strategic development plan, thus incorporating the library development in the scope of environmental, economic and social sustainability. Libraries should take into account the environmental impact of their building as well as their own activities. They should also consider their specific features, not just the criteria for green buildings and offices. Besides, they can promote recycling and sharing in the community in various ways. These actions can raise environmental friendliness as a value and signals the importance of environmental issues to the community. In the aspect of resource development, the basic task of libraries is to ensure open and easy access to reliable information, which includes environmental information. With the provision of information, libraries should also promote the information retrieval skills of the community in order to improve the information literacy of the public with regard to environmentally sustainable awareness. In conclusion, libraries should create an environmental strategy that defines the means and objectives of the environmental work. It is important to raise awareness of the role public libraries can play in the near future, showing proof of their contribution to UN 2030 Agenda and SDGs by measuring and gathering evidence of their performance, namely the access to information and knowledge, access to information infrastructures as well as literacy competences development

Characterisation of the Combustion Behaviours of Individual Pulverised Coal Particles Entrained by Air Using Image Processing Techniques

The combustion characteristics of individual coal particles are the basis for a deep understanding of the macroscopic pulverised coal combustion in power plant boilers. This work proposes a quantitative method to characterise the combustion behaviours of individual pulverised coal particles by measuring a set of physical parameters from digital images of the particles. The combustion process of pulverised particles of bituminous coal in a visual drop tube furnace was recorded by a high-speed camera with a frame rate of 6200 frames per second. An improved-Canny algorithm was developed to extract the combustion zones of a coal particle in both the volatile and char combustion phases. Using the improved-Canny and Otsu algorithms, the unburned part of the particle was identified in the volatile combustion phase. Characteristic parameters of coal particles, including the area, brightness, length, width and aspect ratio of volatile flame, and falling velocity, were derived from the processed images. The results obtained show that the volatile and char combustion took place successively and the volatile matter was combusted almost as soon as it was released. The particle travelled upward for around 14 ms during the early stage of combustion due to the influence of devolatilisation and volatile combustion. The particle also exhibited a slight difference in the rotation frequency at different combustion phases